Attitudes Toward Peer-Delivered Sexual-Health Services Among New York City Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals Who Have Sex with Men and Attend Collective Sex Venues

• Authors: Étienne Meunier, Columbia University; Daniel Alohan, Columbia University; Stephen Tellone, Columbia University; Richard Silvera, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Alwyn Cohall, Columbia University; Adam Baran, Independent researcher; Michael Wakefield, Independent researcher; C Grov, City University of New York; Celia B Fisher, Fordham University
• Journal Title: QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
• Volume: Volume 32, Number 7
• Publisher: SAGE Publications | 2022-06-01, Pages 1167-1184
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10497323221101714
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Education; Psychology, Behavioral
• Keywords: Gay; bisexual; men who have sex with men; transgender and gender nonconforming individuals; HIV/STI prevention; sexual health; peer-based work; collective sex venues

Abstract

Collective sex venues such as sex clubs are strategic sites to promote sexual health among sexual and gender minority individuals. We present qualitative findings from a multiple-method study on the acceptability of sexual-health services at collective sex venues in New York City (NYC) among attendees who identified as men, transgender, or gender non-conforming. In a survey used for sample selection (n = 342), most respondents (82.7%) agreed that “having outreach workers at sex venues is a good thing.” Interviewees (n = 30) appreciated how on-site services could promote sexual health in their community. They felt peer workers should be familiar with collective sex venues and share demographic characteristics with attendees. Some participants felt workers should keep some boundaries from attendees, while others felt they could be fully integrated in the environment, suggesting that either peer outreach or popular-opinion leader types of interventions could be feasible.